Description

This project is in direct response to requirements of the Approved White Flint Sector Plan. It is composed of three components with the overall goal of mitigating the traffic impacts on communities and major intersections outside of and surrounding the White Flint Sector Plan area that will occur as a result of redevelopment densities approved under the new White Flint Sector Plan. These components include: (A) Cut-through traffic monitoring and mitigation (B) Capacity improvements to address congested intersections; and (C) A study of strategies and implementation techniques to achieve the Sector Plan's modal split goals. The modal split study will identify specific infrastructure projects to create an improved transit, pedestrian, and biking infrastructure, and programs needed to accomplish the mode share goals; determine funding sources for these strategies; and determine the scope and cost of project components.

Cost Change

For component A: significant increases in cut through traffic have yet to materialize. Therefore monitoring will continue but implementation of access restrictions are not needed until at least FY17.

Justification

Component A: The new White Flint Sector Plan area was approved by Council on March 23, 2010. This plan allows for significantly higher density than the existing development. As a result neighborhoods surrounding the Sector Plan area could be potentially impacted by increases in cut-through traffic. The approved Sector Plan states: Before any additional development can be approved, the following actions must be taken: Initiate development of plans for through-traffic access restrictions for the residential neighborhoods abutting the Sector Plan area, including traffic from future development in White Flint, and implement these plans if sufficient neighborhood consensus is attained. Component B: The approved plan did not address the possible negative impact on the roads/intersections outside of the Sector Plan boundary but the plan recognized that those impacts could occur. Therefore, major intersections along primary corridors leading into the Sector Plan area need to be evaluated and appropriate safety and capacity improvements identified and implemented to fulfill the vision of the plan. This component is not part of the phasing process but needs to be addressed to mitigate impacts from the Sector Plan. Component C: The plan also recognized that capacity improvements alone would not be sufficient to manage the increased traffic resulting from the higher densities within the Sector Plan area. The Sector Plan states: The following prerequisite must be met during Phase 1 before moving to Phase 2: Achieve thirty-four percent non-auto driver mode share for the Sector Plan area. Increasing the modal split within the White Flint Sector Plan boundary is an integral component to the overall success of the Plan's vision. Transit, pedestrian, bicycle access, safety studies, and TDM planning and implementation efforts are required to facilitate White Flint's transition from a highly automobile oriented environment to a more transit, pedestrian, and bicycle friendly environment. A monitoring mechanism for the modal split will also be developed.

Fiscal Note

Programmed impact taxes have already been collected from the White Flint Metro Station Policy Area (MSPA).

Disclosures

A pedestrian impact analysis will be performed during design or is in progress.